Detroit Pistons search for second-round talent at NBA Draft Combine

The next Detroit Piston likely will be among the 69 prospects participating in this week's NBA Draft Combine.

It's up to Pistons' brass, minus a new president of basketball operations and head coach, to identify a group of players they like that might be available with the 42nd pick in the June 21 draft.

The Pistons' first-round selection (12th overall) belongs to the Los Angeles Clippers as part of the Jan. 29 Blake Griffin trade.

General manager Jeff Bower will be heading the team's staff at the event, which runs today through Saturday at Qwest Multiplex in Chicago. The Pistons continue searching for a president and coach after firing Stan Van Gundy last week.

Contracts for second-round picks are not guaranteed, so the Pistons' selection must make an impression in the Summer League and during training camp to earn a roster spot.

He'll have a good opportunity. The Pistons don't have much cap space, but they have at least three open roster spots, with only 11 players under contract:

Centers: Andre Drummond, Eric Moreland.

Power forwards: Griffin, Jon Leuer, Henry Ellenson.

Small forwards: Stanley Johnson.

Shooting guards: Reggie Bullock, Luke Kennard, Langston Galloway.

Point guards: Reggie Jackson, Ish Smith.

They have decisions to make on some free agents: power forward Anthony Tolliver, small forward James Ennis and point guard Dwight Buycks.

Their biggest need is a small forward who can shoot. Bullock is capable of filling that role if they start Kennard at shooting guard and bring Johnson off the bench.

Two Michigan State players will attend - 6-11 Jarren Jackson Jr., who many project will be selected in the top five, and 6-7 Miles Bridges, who is expected to be a lottery pick as well.

Michigan's 6-11 Moritz Wagner will be there. He is projected in some mock drafts to go anywhere from late first round to mid-second round.

Arizona center DeAndre Ayton and Slovenian guard Luka Doncic (Real Madrid), projected as the top two picks, will not attend the Combine. In addition to MSU's Jackson and Bridges, some likely lottery picks scheduled to attend include Marvin Bagley III of Duke, Michael Porter Jr. of Missouri, Mohamed Bamba of Texas, Wendell Carter of Duke and Trae Young of Oklahoma.

The Combine features five-on-five games as well as strength and agility drills. ESPN2 will provide coverage Thursday and Friday from 3-7 p.m.